Method of making journal bearings



May 20, 1941.

R. J. SHOEMAKER EI' AL METHOD OF MAKING JOURNAL BEARINGS Original Filed Aug. 15, 1938 INVENTORJI ATTORNEY.

Patented May 20, 1 941 I UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE METHOD OF 2,242,439 MAKING .ioUnNa BEARINGS Robert J. Shoemaker and Charles M. House, Chicago, 111., assignors, by mesne assignments, to National Lead Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original application August 15, 1938, Serial No. 224,995. Divided and this -application August 15, 1938, Serial No. 224,996

2 Claims. (Cl. 29-1495) This invention relates in general to bearings, and more particularly to an' improved method of making the same.

In our co-pending application Serial No. 224,995, filed concurrently herewith, and of which this application is a division, a compound journal bearing is disclosedwhich comprises a main body or backing member of brass, bronze, or other suitable relatively hard material, having a bearing surface with grooves formed therein, to which is applied a lining portion of a relatively soft metallic compound -consisting of the following to provide spaced, diamond-shaped portions IS on the curved surface M. 'The cross sectional shape of each groove I5 is that of a truncated isosceles triangle; The area of the diamond-shaped por- 5 tions I6 is substantially 60% of the total area of the curved surface M. The grooves l5 taper inwardly from the surface it in such manner that their area in a plane concentric with that of the surface 14 adjacent their bottoms is approximately 25% of the total area of such plane. If it substances in proportions by weight approximately as follows: tin 0.5% to 2.0%, calcium 0.3% to 1.0%, mercury 0.1% to 0.5%, aluminum 0.02% to 0.1%, and metal from the group consisting of magnesium, potassium and lithium 0.02% to 0.22%, together with lead to make up 100%. This lining portion is disposed within the grooves in the bearing surface of the backing member and over such surface to provide a very thin layer thereon.

is desired, the grooves l5 may be machined in any suitable manner, in the backing member [2 as a separate step subsequent to the casting of the latter. Y

The next step in the method of making the instant hearing I l is the tinning of the diamondshaped portions l6 of the surface It and the grooves 15 of the backing member l2. In order to get the tin or solder to adhere properly to these surfaces, it is preferable to pickle the sur- A principal object of the instant invention is face' for approximately 10 minutes, or until bright and clean, in a solution of approximately 50% commercial muriatic acid and 50% water. The pickled surfaces should be flushed with clear '25 water, and the moisture may be blown off with an air hose. These surfaces are then fluxed, and 70-30 solder is applied thereto at a temperature of between 650 F. and 700 F.-

The bearing metal which is used for the lining portion I3 is then poured as quickly as possible,

and in such a manner as to avoid washing the solder from the tinned surface. Thismaybe accomplished by pouring the bearing ,metal at a point or points where it will have to r'urrthe least distance to cover the entire surface ll.

. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral l-l indicats in general a journalbeai'ing illustrating a preferred type of bearing to which the, instant ,method is applicable.

This bearing comprises a backing member or' bbdy portion l2 and a bearing facing or lining portion l3. The backing member [2 is cast from brass, bronze, or any other suitable relatively hard metal, and is provided with the usual curved bearing surface ll. The bearing surface II is preferably cast to a very slightly larger curvam ture than required size, and has a plurality of grooves or recesses l5 formed therein. v

These recesses 15 arein the form of two sets of diagonal grooves, the grooves of each set bein: spaced in parallel relationship toeach other, and the grooves of thetwo sets interconnecting It has been found that only one particular type of soft metal gives entirely satisfactory results when used for the lining portion l3 of the instant bearing N. This particular soft metallic com- 40 pound consists of the following substances-in pro- 'preferablynearer' 1100" than 950. Sufliclent.

portions by weight approximately as follows:

Tin, 0.5% to 2.0%, preferably 1.0%; Calcium, 0.3%to 1.0%, preferably 0.5%;

Mercury, 0.1% to 0.5%, preferably 025%; Aluminum, 0.02% to 0.1%; preferably 0.05%; -Magnesium,.0.05% to 01%, preferably 0.075%; and/orv I iPota'ssium, 0.02% to 0.06%, preferably 0.04%;

and/or W Lithium, 0.02% to 0,06%, preferably 0.04% Lead,tomakeup The above metallic compound should be be:

tween 950 F. and 1100? F. at the time of pouring,

- or otherwise finished to the required curvature,

namely to substantially the same curvature as that of the journal I95 with which the bearing is adapted to be used.

With the above-described method, it has been found that the instant journal bearingn'the particular advantages of which are fully set forth in the above-referred to application, is most eflicaciowsly produced.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the steps and their order of accomplishment of the process described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the process hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. The method of making a journal bearing, comprising casting a relatively hard metal backing member of a copper base alloy to form a bearing surface of slightly larger curvature than required size and having a plurality of recesses therein, tinnin'g said surface and said recesses with 70-30 solder applied theretoat a temperature of between 650 F: and700 F., immediately casting a lining portion on said backing member to fill said recesses and to cover said surface with a thin layer of metal consisting of the following substances in proportions by weight approximately as follows: tin 0.5% to 2.0%. calcium 0.3% to 1.0%, mercury 0.1% to 0.5%, aluminum 0.02%

to 0.1%, and metal from the group consisting of 7 magnesium, potassium and lithium 0.02% to.

0.22%, together with lead to make up 100%, by

pouring the same thereon at a temperature between 950 F. and 1100 F. and substantially at the'center of the bearing surface of said back- I ing member, and finishing said lining portion to a curvature of required size.-

2. The method of making a journal bearing, comprising casting a relatively hard metal backing member of a copper base alloy to form a bearing surface of slightly larger curvature than requir'ed size, then machining a plurality of recesses in said bearing surface, tinning' said surface and said recesses with -30 solder applied thereto at a temperature of between 650 F. and 700 F., immediately casting a lining portion on said backing member to fill said recesses and to cover said surface with a thin layer of metal consisting of the following substances in proportions by weight approximately as followsz'tin 0.5% to 2.0%, calcium 0.3% to 1.0%, mercury 0.1% to 05%, aluminum 0.02% to 0.1%, and metal from the group consisting of magnesium, potassium and lithium 0.02% to 0 .22%, together with lead to make up by pouring the same thereon at a temperature between 950 F. and 1100 F. and substantially at the center of the bearing surface of said backing member, and finishing said lining portion to a curvature of required size.

nonem- J. SHOEMAKER. CHARLES M. Ho sE; 

